"I do not believe that there is a more glorious work of sculpture existing in the world," wrote John Ruskin (1819-1900).

The great Victorian writer was referring to the bronze equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni (1395-1475), which was modelled by Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-88) and cast by Alessandro Leopardi (1466-1512). Colleoni was a successful condottiero (mercenary), who was employed for many years by the Venetian state.

Colleoni bequeathed to the Republic of Venice a small fortune, on condition that it erected a statue of him in Piazza San Marco. A statue to an individual in the city's most prestigious public space was out of the question. However, as the Republic didn't want to lose the bequest, the powers-that-be ordered the statue to be erected in Campo San Marco rather than Piazza San Marco!

The statue, which depicts man and horse as a formidable fighting machine, was unveiled to the public on March 21st, 1496.

Bartolomeo Colleoni was very proud of his family name, which comes from the Latin word coleus (testicle). As a general, he led his men into battle with the cry 'Coglia, coglia' and his coat of arms actually depicts three pairs of testicles. In Italian, a slang word for testicles is coglioni.

Colleoni is buried in the Cappella Colleoni in the city of Bergamo.

Equestrian Statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni

Equestrian Statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni

Inscription of Alessandro Leopardo

Coat of arms of Bartolomeo Colleoni, Cappella Colleoni

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My name is David Lown and I am an art historian from Cambridge, England.